Viewing apparatus



gf m4@ R. N. ISBELL, 2,2L37@ VIEWING APPARATUS Original Filed Feb. 8, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sme/whom Aug., 13, i949. R N lsBELL l 2,211,375

VIEWING APPARATUS Original Filed Feb. 8, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/rm M MW fm.

Aug. 13,1940.Y R N, |$BE| 1 Y I' 2,211,376

- VIEWING APPARATUS Original Filed Feb. f8, 1938 3 Sheets-*Sheet 3 f=ji @Il 1149 5 r 42 Il i 2? za f x4 w f g 1 vue/nto@ SH01/v ma PatentedAug. 13, 1940 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mwnllRATUS Robert Nevlll Isbell, Wake Forest, N. C.

Application February 8, 1938, Serial No. 189,425

Renewed January 9, 1940 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a universally applicable viewing apparatus for viewing at will either transparent prints, such as photographic reproductions on glass, or opaque prints, such as photographic prints on paper, or post cards, and at the same time substantially magnifying such prints and intensely illuminating the same.

Heretofore, there have been knownl certain devices for viewing transparent/prints, and certain other devices for viewing opaque prints. With such devices, on the frequent occasions when it is desired to successively view transparent prints and opaque prints, it is necessary for the observer to employ two separate devices and to walk from one device to the other.

My invention obviates this and other inconvenience inherent in'devices of. this type heretofore available, by providing .a single unit wherein either a transparent print or an opaque print may be satisfactorily viewed in immediatesuccession by an instantaneous adjustment of a selective control.

A n object'of my invention is to provide a simple, rugged, portable device for viewing prints.

Another object is to provide means for magnilying a. print which is being viewed and means to adjustably position the magnifying means to obtain optimum effect.

A further object of my invention is to provide adjustable means for selectively bringing into operative position either a transparent print or an opaque print.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a plurality of. light sources selectively actuatable and positioned to most advantageously illuinmate the type of print being viewed.

Yet another object of. my invention is to provide a casing surrounding the viewing'means and universally adjustable and light-shielding means A extending through the device for orienting the mirror.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a device which is simple and rugged in construction and reliable in performance and which may be manufactured in large quantities at low cost.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of. operation may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying drawings and -in the detailed following description based thereupon, set out an embodiment of the same.

In the drawings:

(ci. zas-+24) the line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the cover with upper light in position, the print slide, the lower light, and the mirror with its handle mounted on the sub-base, all mounted within the casing.

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of the slide for supporting a transparent print and an opaque print, with its terminal stops.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the form of device shown in Figures 1-4, as seen from the right side of Figure` 4.

Figure-'7 is a vertical sectional view taken on f the line 1 1 of Figure 4 and perpendicular to the plane'of Figure 4 showing the upper and lower lights, the print slide and ground glass, the mirror tilted toward the viewing aperture, and the path of the transmitted ray from the upper light through the print to the mirror and the reflected ray from the mirror to the observer, and also the ray from the lower source reflected by the opaque print upon the mirror and again reflected from the mirror to the observer.

Figure 8 shows a detail of the concave mirror unit, with its frame, concave mirror element, and non-light-reflecting mat for framing the portion ofthe mirror which it is desired to use, and

Figure 9 shows as a modification of my invention an alternative form of. structure for adjustably positioning and orientingl the mirror unit and at the same time excluding light from enteringthe interior ofthe casing, avoiding the useof a movable lsub-base.

Figure l0 is a detail in elevation of the light shield slide and slide-way positioned on the side of the casing-for the passage therethrough of. the displaceable mirror adjusting rod in lightexcluding relation.

ing parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the several views, the slide I is provided with framing apertures 2 and 3 adapted to support either transparent or opaque prints oi. the size which it isv desired to employ. The slide is adapted to move with sliding motion through a horizontal aperture provided therefor in the casing 8, and is provided with terminal stops 34 to prevent its movement out ofthe passage. Above slide I is mounted upper incandescent electric lamp 4 which is adapted to direct light rays downward through a print carried in slide I. Below slide I is mounted a lower incandescent electric lamp 5 which is adapted to direct rays of light upwardly on the under surface of a print carried by slide I; this light 5 should be mounted somewhat to the side of the direct ray path downwardly from upper light 4 through the slide, to avoid undesired crossing of ray paths'.

Between the upper light 4 and the slide I is positioned a ground or opal glass 6 or other suitable light diiusing means.

Positioned in the lower part of the casing and mounted for adjustable orientation is a concave mirror 1. The concave contour of this mirror vis indicated by the curved line 20. It is advantageous to have this mirror substantially spherical to produce an image of satisfactory definition. The mirror 1 is mounted within a carrying frame, here shown as circular, within which frame there is a framing mat 2I formed of heavy brous material of a dead dark grey color, or other non-light-reecting material. Within this mat there is formed an aperture 22 of desired shape, here shown as rectangular, in order to frame a picture of a shape substantially corresponding to that of the print to be viewed. 'Ihe mirror frame 1 is supported at diametrally opposed points by vertical arms I4 on whose upper ends are provided trunnion structures 23 and 24 wherein the mirror frame is freely rotatable about a horizontal axis. The vertical arms I4 are in turn carried on a sub-base member I2 which is conveniently a square or circular thin wooden block or plinth. 'I'he sub-base I 2 rests on the base II of the casing 8. The casing 8 may be formed of sheet fibrous or molded material of rugged mechanical characteristics, which is opaque, and has the upper portion 9 containing upper light 4, and lower portion I0 containing lower light 5 and mirror 1. Resilient clips or ngers I3 mounted on base II are adapted to resiliently engage and hold sub-base I2, but not to prevent the adjustable motion of sub-base I2 when it is desired to re-position the mirror. In one side of lower portion I0 of the casing, there is provided a hinged door I5 which may be swung outwardly to inspect and adjust the elements therein.

Attached to the frame of mirror 1 at one of its points of support is rod I6. The lower part I0 of the casing is provided with a horizontal slot 25 adapted to receive the outward portion of rod I6, and a suitable handle I1 is attached to the outer end of rod I6 for convenient manual handling of the same. Carried by rod I6 just within casing I0 is a horizontal slide I8 formed of opaque material and which is adapted to slidably engage a slide-way I9 attached to the inner side of casing I Il which is in position with slot 25, the slide and slide-way being of such length that as rod I6 is moved from one end to the other of Aslot 25, the slide completely obstructs the passage of light through the slot.

A convenient form of casing structure is as shown in the gures, particularly in Figure 6, with an inclined central portion immediately below the slide, having on one of the inclined faces an aperture 26 of suitable size wherein the -to see the reflected image and helps to eliminate distortion. The handle I1 may be pulled in or` out, or may be displaced laterally in either direction, and the rod I6 will cause the mirror 1 to move into a desired position inside the casing by virtue of the free movement of the sub-base I2 under resilient lingers I3. In this manner, the observer can cause the ray reflected from mirror 1 to meet his eye in most advantageous manner.

0n one side of the upper portion 9 of casing 8, there is provided an electric attachment receptacle 21 intended for connection in the usual manner to a commercial source of 110 volts electrical current. receptacle has two pairs of supply leads leading respectively to the upper and lower lights, each through an individual switch. The switch 32 controls the upper light 4 and is connected by a wire 35 to one terminal of receptacle 21, and by another wire 36 to a switch point 3I of the type commonly employed on single-pole blade switches. Another supply lead 31 for upper light 4 leads from receptacle 21 to another switch point 3I. The upper light 4 itself is mounted on a usual base 38 which is carried on a top closing plate 49 which closes the top of the casing, and this closingplate 49 carries complementary blade members 30 which are connected by wires 29, 29, to lamp base 39. A carrying handle 4I is provided on the top closing plate 49. The blade members 30 are adapted to engage securely the switch points 3| and to hold the closing plate 49 in tight engagement. Resilient clips 42 are provided on opposite sides of the upper part of casing 9 to additionally hold top plate 49 in position.

In Figure 9, there is shown a modified form of mounting a mirror which avoids the necessity of the sub-base I2, wherein the supporting rod I6 has greater freedom of movement in its passage through casing IU. At one point o1' mirror 1 is attached rod I6. The mirror is therefore carried entirely on rod I6, without support at any other point. A substantially circular aperture relatively large with reference to the diameter of rod I6 is provided in casing I0 for the passage of rod I6 therethrough. Carried on rod I6 is a substantially circular opaque shield` member 51 of a diameter somewhat larger than the aperture in casing I0. Attached to the inside or outside of casing I 0 is a substantially circular guideway 58 having a ilanged portion relatively close to casing I0 extending inward from the circumference of the guideway, and adapted to receive shield member 51. The rod I6 may therefore be displaced horizontally or vertically or in any direction from its normal horizontal position. carrying the mirror therewith, and at all times the shield member 51 will keep completely closed the circular aperture in casing I0, so long as the displacement does not exceed the diierence in the radii of the aperture and shield member 51. Proper design therefore requires that shield member 51 have a radius suiliclently great to u take care of the desired degree of displacement.

In order to provide for greater freedom of movement'. of rod I6,and mirror 1, there is also provided a ball and socket mounting -for rod I6. This comprises a ball carried on rod I6, and which is engaged by the recessed termin-al portions of the arms52, 53, of forked clamp 5I. The' arms 52 and 53 are normally held togetherby spring 56. The mounting portion of forked clamp 5I is provided with a slot 54 by which it may be mounted'on casing IIJ by wing nut 55.' By this arrangement, forked clamp 5I may be adjusted under wing nut 55 to a desired position, and the rod I6 may be swung-r into a desired position and held there by clamping the arms 52,

53, on ball 50, so that rod II vmay b'e moved inwardly or outwardly, or .up and down, as well as rotated-to bring mirror 1 into the optimum position for viewing. Hence,A the ball' 5U may bev moved in any direction, and the mirror tilted as desired. This avoids the necessity for subbase I2. I have found this modified form advantageous for certain particular purposes.

In Figure 5, there is shown a form of slide particularly adapted for viewing frames on a roll of film. The lm is carried on a loading spool and take-off spool 6I which are respectively rotatably supported on arms 62 and 63 mounted on the ends of slide I. 'I'he film passes vertically from the spools to the ends of slide I, and thence along slide I. In this way, the film may be easily advanced to bring the desired fr-ame into operative position.

This apparatus is adapted for viewing any type of transparent or opaque prints or other subject matter, including transparent photographic negative or positive prints or films, painted transparencies, opaque photographic prints of usual type, printed pictures, post cards, and the like. The concave mirror, particularly in its preferred form with spherical contour, gives a very satisfactory ymagnification, which under optimum conditions gives perspective.

In operation, the prints, transparent and opaque, are placed in print slide I, and the de-v sired print pushed into operative position.l If the print to be viewed is transparent, the switch 32 is actuated to light up light 4, and the light ray 43 (Figure '1) passes from upper light 4 through ground glass. 6 and the print carried on slide I along ray path 43 to become incident on the concave contour of mirror 1 and to be refiected therefrom as reflected ray 44 through viewing aperture 26. In order to'r get optimum definition of the reflected image to beviewed most advantageously by the observer, the position of mirrorl is adjusted both by pushing and rotating movement of rod I6.

If the print pushed into operative position is opaque, the switch 33 is actuated to light lower light 5, from which a ray 45 incident on the printcarried on slide I is reected as reflected -ferri'ng astransparency or-print to an unexposed negative suitably positioned as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

In using the slide I, it is often, conveni t to place the print to be viewed ina hinged fo ding print carrier provided with a central aperture through which the printiis visible, and of outside dimensions to fit/framing apertures 2 5 and 3 in slide' I.` Reducing print carriers may be providedto fit in framing apertures 2 and 3 and to expose through a centralaperture a print of size smaller than those for which apertures 2 and 3 are designed. The folding type of carrier 10 justmentioned may 'be employed for such :ze-0, ducing.

It will be obvious that I have provided a novel and very useful device for viewing with a single apparatus any desired type of print, with a 15 maximum of convenience. L

Manifestly, the construction hereinl shown is /capable of considerablev modification and such modifications as come within the scope of my claims, I consider withinvthe spirit of my inven- 20 tion.

I claim: l l

1. An improvement in viewin'g apparatus comprising a casing, means mounted within andv through said casing for supporting a print to be 25 viewed, a first source of light mounted within the upper portion of said casingv above said print supporting means, a concave mirror adjustably mounted in the lower portion of said casing below said print supporting means, said casing having 30 an intermediate slanting portion with a sight opening formed therethrough, a second source of light mounted within said casing to one side of and above said concave mirror and below said sight opening, means for selectively energizing 35 either of said sources of light and means having a single control member for adjusting said mirror to any desired position.

2. An improvement in viewing apparatus comprising a casing having an upper, intermediate 40 and lower portion, a first source of light mounted within said upper portion, said upper portion having diametrically opposed slots formed through two sides thereof, means slidably mounted through said slots for supporting a print or prints to be viewed, said lower portion having a larger outside dimension than said upper portion, said intermediate portion having sides thereof slantingly positioned for joining said upper portion to said lower portion, one slanted side of said intermediate portion having a sight opening formed therethrough, a` concave` mirror adjustably mounted ,within said lower portion, a` second source of light mounted within said lower portion to one side of and above said mirror and means 55 for selectively energizing either of said sources of light.

3. An improvement in viewing apparatus comprising in combination a casing having a sight opening formed in one side thereof, means sup- 60 ported by said casing for supporting a print to be viewed, a iirst source of light mounted within and upon said casing on one side of said supporting means, a concave mirror element positioned -on the side of' said supporting means opposite said first source of light comprising a supporting frame adjustably mounted within and upon said casing, an apertured non-reflecting mat c ontained within said frame and a light reiiecting concave' mirror carried by said frame and having 70 an area exposed through the aperture in said mat, a second source of light positioned on the mirror side of said supporting means, means for selectively energizing either of said sources of light and means for selectively orienting said mirror element relative to said sight opening and said print supporting means as desired.

4. An improvement in viewing apparatus comprising a casing, means slidably supported by said casing for supporting a print or prints to be viewed, a lrst source of light mounted within and upon said casing onone side of said sliding means, a concave mirror positioned on the side of said sliding means opposite said rst source of light, a second source of light mounted upon and within said casing on the mirror side of said sliding means, means for selectively energizing said sources of light, means carried bysaid casing for pivotally supporting said mirror at a first point of said mirror, a handle rod attached tosaid mirror at a second point thereof diametrically opposite said rst point, said casing being provided with an aperture through which said rod passes displaceably along the periphery of said casing, and a light shield carried by said rod and engaging said casing and closing said aperture therein for excluding light from the interior of said casing as said rod is displaced, and said casing being provided with a sight aperture positioned to receive a beam of light from said print reflected from said mirror. f

5. An improvement in viewing apparatus compoint di said mirror, a handle rod attached to said mirror at a second point thereof diametrically opposite said iirst point, said casing being provided with a slot through which said rod passes, a slideway carried by said casing on the edges of said slot, an opaque slide carried by said rod and engageable in said slideway for excluding light from the interior of said casing as said rod is displaced, and said casing being provided with a sight aperture positioned to receive a beam of light from said print reflected from said mirror.

6. An improvement in viewing apparatus comprising a casing, means slidably supported by said casing for supporting a print or prints to be viewed, a first source of light mounted within and upon said casing on one side of said sliding means, aconcave mirror positioned on the side of said sliding means opposite said first source of light, a second source of light mounted upon and within said casing on the mirror side of said sliding means, means for selectively energizing said sources of light, means carried by said casing for pivotally supporting said mirror at a iirst point of said mirror, a handle rod attached to said mirror at a second peint thereof diametrically opposite said first point, said casing being provided with an approximately circular aperture relatively large with reference to the diameter of said rod and through which said rod passes, an approximately circular opaque shield carried by said rod and of larger diameter than said circular aperture for excluding light from the interior of said casing as said rod is displaced, said casing being provided with la viewing aperture positioned to receive a beam of light from said print reflected from said mirror.

ROBERT NEVILL ISBELL. 

